Dancing Ourselves to Death: The Subject of Emma Goldman's Nietzschean Anarchism

Abstract

This article draws together two lively and provocative radical theorists, Emma Goldman and Friedrich Nietzsche, and suggests that a reading at their intersections can inspire political thought, action, and resistance in particular ways. The argument is framed through and productive of a particular archetype which emerges from a reading of these thinkers, that of The Dancer. Both Goldman and Nietzsche have been noted for their affect-laden reflections on dance, as an image of the subject which evades capture within the frameworks of discipline, morality, and ressentiment and which instead commits to a ceaseless and creative insurrection of- and- against the self. Here, I argue that through this image of The Dancer we can conceptualise a form of critical or anarchic subjectivity which can provocatively interpret and inspire radical political action. In the article I look at some of the ways in which dance has formed an important component of radical politics. However I also argue that dance as understood in the terms established through Goldman and Nietzsche moves beyond corporeal performance, indicating a more general ethos of the subject, one of perpetual movement, creativity, and auto-insurrection. I also reflect on the difficulties involved in the idea of ‘self-creation’; as we can see from the more problematic dimensions of Goldman's thought, creation is an ethically and ontologically ambiguous concept which, when affirmed too easily, can serve to mask the subtleties by which relations of domination persist. With this in mind, the article goes on to discuss what it might mean to ‘dance to death’, to negotiate the burden of transvaluation, limitless responsibility, and perpetual struggle which these two thinkers evoke, in the service of a creative and limitless radical political praxis.     

In the path of heroes: second-generation Tamil-Canadians after the LTTE

This paper explores how second-generation Tamil-Canadian university students have modified their ‘cultural heritage’ in the period after the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009. Using a generational framework suggested by the work of Karl Mannheim, I show that the events of May 2009 situated second-generation Tamil-Canadian political activism as a response to the ambivalence of their parents to the conflict in Sri Lanka. Second-generation Tamil-Canadians are also shown to have altered the key LTTE symbol of the Maaveerar (great hero) to better fit a transnational social field that is framed by the new realities of post-LTTE Sri Lanka and by intolerance to imported conflict in Canada. I argue that the Tamil second generation is highly engaged with the politics of their cultural identity, and that this engagement may have a lasting influence on transnational Tamil identity and on the political status of the Tamil community within Canada.     

From cultural knowledge to intercultural communicative competence: changing perspectives on the role of culture in foreign language teaching

Approaches to the concept of culture and teaching cultural competence in a foreign language classroom have been changing over the last decades. The paper summarises, compares, contrasts and evaluates four major approaches to teaching cultural competence in foreign language teaching, that is, knowledge-based approach, contrastive approach, Communicative Language Teaching and intercultural communicative competence approach.     

Teaching social research methods after the critical turn: challenges and benefits of a constructivist pedagogy

An increasing challenge for teaching methods courses in the social sciences is the ‘critical turn’, which has encouraged some students to adopt an anti-empirical orientation. We present a case study of a compulsory undergraduate methods course in a political science department strongly influenced by post-structuralist philosophies. The first author redesigned the course to implement four constructivist pedagogical principles: (1) develop a full understanding of students’ pre-existing perceptions of political science research methods; (2) encourage students to see methodology as an inevitably contested field; (3) provide space for students to choose a methodological approach that best aligns with their personal stance on knowledge; and (4) encourage students to view research as an ongoing ‘conversation’. We critically reflect on the implementation of these constructivist pedagogical strategies and argue they improve students’ critical engagement with course material, increase linkages between methods teaching and other disciplinary subject matter, and accommodate diverse student perspectives and needs.     

主题教育法在大学生思想政治教育中的运用

主题教育法是我国大学生思想政治教育的有效方法,有助于指引大学生的思想、凝聚大学生的情感、规范大学生的行为。经过多年的实践探索,主题教育法在具体运用中取得了良好的效果,但同时也存在着前瞻性不够、实施方式不活、品牌意识不强等方面的问题。解决这些问题的关键在于根据国家目标、学校精神和学生特点,积极优化大学生思想政治教育中主题教育法运用的原则、步骤和艺术。     

论高校思想政治理论课的历史教育方法取向

高校思想政治理论课目标的实现,必须坚持历史唯物主义的价值立场,把历史教育方法作为基本方法。通过对历史教育方法科学内涵的阐述和其作为基本方法的缘由论证,指出运用历史资源及其方法原理实现思政教育主体与客体之间双向沟通的作用,充分利用和发掘历史资源的育人功能,让大学生把握知识源流,强化历史认同,构筑理想信念根基。教学中要以多样化的教学载体创建为有效路径,改进和提升高校思想政治理论课教学的实际效果。     

社会认同理论视角下的大学生思想政治教育模式研究

在社会日益变革的当前,思想政治教育在我国的学校教育,特别是高等教育中显得尤为重要。当前,大学生思想政治教育由于受多元化思想的影响和冲击,在高校中育人作用的发挥受到影响。从社会认同理论视角出发,分析大学生思想政治教育模式的不同社会认同阶段,并通过内群体相互提高及外群体积极促进的方法,进而形成对思想政治教育模式的社会认同,最终完善促进我国大学生思想政治教育的有效途径。     

创制《中华人民共和国经济法》构想——创制基本经济法是编撰经济法典的题中应有之义和浓墨重彩

编撰经济法典包括经济法律法规按照归属于经济法部门所进行的编纂和基本经济法的撰写创制;创制中华人民共和国经济法,是编撰经济法典的题中应有之义和浓墨重彩。我国宪法规定:国家的根本任务是,沿着中国特色社会主义道路,进行社会主义现代化建设;国家实行社会主义市场经济;中华人民共和国实行依法治国,建设社会主义法治国家。现在,我们已开始实行要使市场对资源配置起决定性作用和更好发挥政府作用的改革,以完全彻底地实行社会主义市场经济,而经济法也早已列入中国特色社会主义法律体系,创制基本经济法的基本条件已经具备。创制中华人民共和国经济法,就是要创制"既是规范企业等微观经济主体的微观经济的经营、竞争行为,又是规范政府等宏观经济主体的宏观经济的经营、竞争行为,以及保障人们的消费利益,在微观经济和宏观经济领域,统一确认、设定和保护主体的劳动力权"的基本经济法。     

传播学视角下高校思想政治理论课教学传播有效性探析

从传播学的视角看,高校思想政治理论课教学是师生围绕信息进行的人际传播互动过程,运用传播学基本理论考察这一传播过程的基本要素,分析影响传播过程有效性的因素和探求增强传播过程有效性的策略,对于增强思想政治理论课教学的有效性具有重要意义。     

“中国梦”融入《中国近现代史纲要》教育探析

实现中华民族伟大复兴的“中国梦”,是中国近现代历史的主题和主线,因此,有必要将“中国梦”教育融入《中国近现代史纲要》的教学进程。在讲授完中国近现代史之后,以专题的方式、以“中国梦”为主线来梳理和巩固整个中国近现代史,既可强化中国近现代史的内容,又能系统、深入地剖析“中国梦”,从而真正实现历史课教学与“中国梦”教育的目的,使当代大学生勇于担当实现“中国梦”的神圣使命。